Will Sioux Falls Public Pools Be Able to Open This Summer?

To open the public swimming pools, or not to open the pools, that is the question.

A question Sioux Falls residents are expected to get an answer to sometime next week in theory.

Will the COVID-19 pandemic end up pulling the plug on public pools in the Sioux Empire? We shall soon find out.

One thing we do know right now, Wild Water West, the popular private water park just west of Sioux Falls, is already on the record as saying they plan to open for the summer season by May 30.

As Dakota News Now reports, once they open, Wild Water West plans to ensure the safety of all park goers by taking the necessary steps to help keep their patrons and staff healthy as we continue to deal with COVID-19.

The planned opening date of Wild Water West, all hinges on COVID-19 conditions. Should things dramatically change between now, and then, officials say their decision on when to open will be reevaluated.

Dakota News Now reports, the city of Brandon has already made the decision to keep their public pools closed for the season.

Brandon City Administrator Bryan Read, told Dakota News Now, "It was pretty unanimous to do it. There was quite a bit of discussion on the guidelines that were recommended, and what we could do to accommodate those guidelines, and who knows, things may change considerably by this summer, but with the information we currently had available to us we chose to close."

Public safety was at the forefront of Brandon's decision to close its public pools for the upcoming summer swimming season.

According to Dakota News Now, residents here in Sioux Falls can expect to hear a definitive word out of the Mayor's Office by early next week.

Until then, we continue to wait and speculate on whether we'll be allowed to take a dip in a Sioux Falls city pool this summer.